Pumping apparatus



2 Sheet-Sheet l mm w w z I W Aug- 28, 1951 R. E. LAMBERTON PUMPING APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1944 Aug. 28, 1951 R. E. LAMBERTON PUMPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1944 atented Aug. 28, 1951 PUMPING APPARATUS Ralph E. Lamberton, Worthington, Ohio, assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsy'lvania Application April 10, 1944, Serial NO. 530,259

12 Claims. l

My invention relates to pumping apparatus, and more p'articulariy to cylinder head structures having an improved arrangement of parts` and adapted especially for use with compressors.

It is important in the design of compressors to provide means for direoting fiuid to and from the compressor in smooth flowing streams, and precaution should be taken to avoid as much as possible the transfer of heat from the stream of compressed fluid. to the stream of fiuid being taken into the compressor. It is desirable that the intake and discharge chambers in the cylinder head be of such size and arrangement that the Valve mechanism, the fiuid flow directing means, a valve unseating means for effecting unlo'ading, and any other necessary equipment may be readily received and easily accessible for replacement or repair while at the same time providing adequate space for the flow of fiuid.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved cylinder head for a pump or a compressor. It is another object of my invention to provide in an improved cylinder head an intake Chamber and a discharge chamber, and means for directing and controlling the fiow of fluid through the chambers in an improved manner. Still another object is to provide an improved cylinder head for a pump or a compressor, said head having an improved arrangement of parts for directing and controlling the fiow of fiuid relative to a cylinder. Yet another object is to provide, in a cylinder head chamber containing a valve mech'anism, improved means for holding the valve mechanism in place and for directing the flow of fluid relatve to the Valve mechanism. A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved and simplified means for unloading the pumping apparatus. These and other objects of the invention will appear more fully in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one vembodiment which my invention may assume in practice has been shown for purposes of illustration:

Fig. 1 is a central Vertical section through the top of a compressor cylinder, the cylinder head, and the inlet and disch'arge valve mechanisms.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the cylinder head taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the intake portion of the cylinder head With the top cover plate removed.`

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention there is shown a compressor cylinder l having a bore 2 containing a piston 3 which is adapted to be reciprocated by suitable means, not shown. The upper end of the cylinder is flared outwardly at 4 and provides at the outer edge of the flared portion a plane annular surface 5 on which -a cylinder head 'i rests and is held in position as by bolts B. The cylinder head includes a housing 9 having an intake chamber l and a discharge chamber H, these ohambers being disposed at opposite sides of 'a plane extending chordally-as shown, diametrically-of said cylinder bore and the inner walls of these chambers being separated by a space i3 so as to reduce the transfer of heat from the fiuid in the discharge chamber to the fluid in the intake chamber, 'and so as to provide a space within which air from the atmosphere may circulate for conducting away heat transferred from the fiuid in the discharge chamber through the walls of the latter. The intake and disch'arge chambers open through the bottom of the housing 9 into communication with the cylinder bore, and arranged within the lower portion of the intake chamber is an inlet Valve mechanisrn E4 resting upon a shoulder |5 of the housing, while a, discharge valve mechanism IG is supported on a shoulder I'I in the lower portion of the discharge chamber. Opening into the chambers lt 'and H, respectively, through the side walls of the latter are an intake port 18 and a discharge port IQ.

Received within the inta'ke chamber above the inlet valve mechanism is a frame member 20 having plate-like portions Z! and 22 engaging the outer edges of the inlet valve mechanism at diametrically opposite points, and a plate-like portion 23 arranged between the portions 2| and 22 and engaging the inlet valve mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2, at its opposite edges between the points of engagement of the portions 2| and 22 with the valve mechanism. The portions 2|, 22 and 23 'are shown herein as being formed integral with an upper plate portion 25. The frame member 20 is arranged within the intake chamber so that the portions l, 22 and 23 present edges vto the incoming fluid for distributing the latter uniformly to the inlet valve mechanism. The surfaces of the portions are curved, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to assure a smooth flow of fiuid through the chamber M3. The portion 23 is cut away at 21 and 28, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit a free fiow of fluid to the portions of the inlet Valve mechanism underlying that portion of the frame member.

The inlet Valve mechanism, as shown here-in, comprises a valve plate 3d resting on the shoulder i5 and having concentric annular inlet passages 3| and 32 opening therethrough. Attached to the lower side of the valve plate, as by bolts 33, is a valve guard 'a having oppositely projecting ledge portions supporting Valve springs and 31 which operate to hold inlet valves Si and 138 normally in eng'agement With valve seats surrounding the intake ports 3! and 32.

At the upper end of the housing 9 are cover plates 42 and 43. The plate 112 is attached to the housing, as by bolts and the plate is attached to the plate 42, as by bolts' li. The cover plate 62 is provided with a recess which cooperates with the plate i' to form a chamber fsl receiving a member 48 which carries rods extending through openings in the plate e72 and through the intakcchamber into the inta-ke passages 3| and 32 where they are adapted to engage the inlet valves E2 and tli. Springs surrounding a number of the rods and acting between the plate 42' and the member tend to support the latter in an upper position to hold the rods '39 free from engagement with the inlet valves. Formed in the plate is a bore 54 containing a plunger 55 which is adapted to engage the member n28 for forcing the latter down-- wardly to move the rods il into positions unseating the inlet valves. A passage opens into the bore 554 adjacent the upper end of the plunger 55 for conducting pressure fluid relative to the plunger. Extending through the plate [i are screws 58 which are adapted to engage the upper portion of the frame 29 for holding the latter firmly against the inlet valve inechanism, and lock nuts 59 are provided for holding the screws 58 in their 'adjusted positions.

Arranged Within the discharge 'ch-amber ll is a frame member 2 similar to the frame member 2B, and having projecting portions R3, Gif and 235 engageable With the discharge valve mechanism in a manner like that in which the portions 2|, 22 and 23 of the frame member 28 engage the inlet valve mechanism. The frame member is provided with an upper portion G? which is en- Vgaged by a bolt 83 extending through a cover plate 69 for holding the frame member S2 firmly in engagement with the discharge valve mechanisrn. The cover plate 69 is secured to the housing 9 over the chamber ll as by bolts fi).

The discharge Valve mechanism comprises a Valve plate T2 resting upon the shoulder ll' and having concentric annular discharge ports 13 and T4 opening through the plate. Secured to the upper side of the valve plate 72, as by bolts le, is a guard member E8 which provides a hacking for Valve Springs ll and 8d Operating to urge discharge valves 82 and 83 into engagement with valve seats surrounding the discharge ports. The projecting portions 93, i and 65 on the frame member 82 are arranged, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to direct fluid discharged from the compressor cylinder to the discharge port EE).

In the operation of the mechanism described, fiuid is taken into the cylinder bore during the suction stroke of the piston 3 through the intake port is, the Chamber EG, the intake passages 3% and 32, and past the inlet Valves and 43. On compression of fluid within the cylinder bore, the inlet valves and l are seated by their respective Valve Springs, 'and the discharge valves 82 and `83 are forced open so that fluid -passes Vfrom the cylinder bore through the discharge passages 13, M, and through the discharge chainber II to the port 19. When it is desired to unload the compressor, fluid under pressure is supplied through the passage 56 to the bore 5G above the plunger 55 forcing the latter against the member 48 and moving the rods G9 against the inlet valves to unseat the latter. It will be noted, with respect to both the frame member 2G and the frame member 62, that their contacts with the valve mechanism which they aid in clamping are only at points in a narrow diametric band 'and along generally tangentially extending strips essentially parallel to such diametric band. The contacts With the valve mechanisms are only adjacent the edges of the latter. The contacts provided by the central plate portions are contacts at diametric'ally opposite points and the other contacts include contacts at points diametrically opposite each other and at least substantially midway between the first mentioned contacts. It will further be noted that the rods f which extend through the openings in the plate element 23, through the extended guidance which they thereby receive, aid in determining the paths of movement of the other rod elements which do not pass through any guiding means below the plate 42.

As a result of my invention, there is provided improved means for directing the flow of fiuid through the intake and discharge chambers and for holding the valve mechanisms in their assembled positions. It will be seen that replacement of any of the parts of the valve mechanisms is f'acilitated by the arrangement of the inlet and discharge valves in separate chambers. By reason of' the provision of separate intake and discharge chambers, the inlet and discharge valve mechanisms may be made identical so that one may be used interchangeably for the other. The arrangement of the chambers in the manner shown and described permits the making of flow passages of sufficient size to avoid any restriction of the fiow of fiuid, and makes the parts readily accessible for replacement or repair. The location of the bores for the rods 139 in the portion 23 and the location in the several pairs of rods 49 with respect to the plate 48 makes it certain that the several pairs of rods will have access to the inlet valves in a proper manner.

While there is in this application specically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a compressor,.in combination, a cylinder containing a reciprocatory piston, a cylinder head having an intake Chamber and a discharge chamber disposed respectively wholly at opposite sides of a plane extending diametrically of said cylinder, said intake and discharge chambers opening at one end into said cylinder, intake and discharge ports opening through the side walls of said intake and discharge chambers respectively, inlet and discharge valve mecham'sms for controlling the flow of fluid through said intake and discharge chambers, frame members having spaced apart plate portions arranged in substantial parallelism and extending transversely of said intake and discharge chambers in the direction of said ports for directing the flow of fluid through said chambers, said plate portions engageable Withpsaid valve mechanisms for holding the latter in place, and means engageable with said frame members for holding said plate portions firmly in engagement with said valve mechanisms.

2. In a compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a reciprocatory piston, a cylinder head having an intake Chamber and 'a discharge chamber disposed respectively wholly at opposite sides of a plane extending diametrically of said cylinder, said intake and discharge chambers opening `at one end into said cylinder, intake and disch'arge ports opening through the side walls of said intake and discharge chambers respectively, inlet and discharge valve mechanisms for controlling the flow of fiuid through said intake and discharge Chambers, frame members having spaced apart plate portions arranged in substan- Vtial parallelism and extending transversely of said intake and discharge chambers in the direction of said ports for directing the flow of fiuid through said chambers, said plate portions engageable with said valve mechanisms for holding the latter in place, independent cover plates for said intake and discharge chambers, and means operatively connected to said cover plates and engageable with said frame members for holding said plate portions firmly in engagement with said valve mechanisms. c

3. In a compressor, in combination, a valve Cage traversed by passages completely laterally offset from each other, valves opposite said passages and controlling the` flow through the same, a flow directing element extending radially with respect to the valve Cage, and means for unseating said valves to effect unloading of the ccmpressor including a member having a plurality of groups of elements adapted to extend through said passages to unseat said valves, said flow directing element providing means for coacting with one group only of said elements for guiding said several elements for movement into contact with said valves.

4. In a compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a reciprocatory piston, a cylinder head having a Chamber therein opening into said cylinder, a port opening through a side wall of said Chamber, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fiuid through said Chamber, a frame member having plate portions extending transversely of said Chamber in the direction of said port for directing the flow of fluid through said chamber, one of said plate portions extending diametrically of said valve mechanism and others of said plate portions extending tangential to said valve mechanism at opposite sides of said diametrically extending portion, said plate portions engaging said valve mechanism only at points spaced about the periphery of the latter, and means engageable with said framemember for holding said plate portions firmly in engagement With said valve mechanism.

5. In a Compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a, reciprocatory piston, a cylinder head having a Chamber therein opening into said cylinder, a port opening through a side wall of said Chamber, a multi-valve valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid through said Chamber, a frame member having plate portions extending transversely of said Chamber in the direction of said port for directing the flow of fluid through said Chamber, one of said plate portions extending diametrically of said valve mechanism and others of said plate portions extending tangential to said valve mechanism at opposite sides to unseat said valves, said diametrioally extending plate portion having openings for guiding one group of said elements for movement into contact with said valves and the elements of the other groups being guided Wholly through the guiding of the first group as aforesaid.

G. In a compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a piston, a cylinder head having a fluid Chamber and a lateral flow passage, a valve mechanism in said Chamber for controlling fluid flow with respect to said cylinder and embodying a ported valve unit, and a holding member for securing said valve unit in position in said head Chamber, said holding member having spaced apart holding portions contacting said valve unit only at the edges thereof and extending transversely of said Chamber in substantial parallelism to each other and in the direction of fluid flow relative to said passage for directing the flow of fluid through said Chamber between said flow passage and the ports of said valve unit.

7. In a Compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a piston, a cylinder head having a fiuid Chamber and a lateral flow passage, a valve mechanism in said Chamber for controlling fiuid flow With respect to said cylinder and embodying a ported valve unit, and a holding member for securing said valve unit in position in said head Chamber, said holding member having spaced apart holding portions extending transversely of said Chamber in the direction of fluid flow relative to said passage, said holding portions being arranged in substantial parallelism and substantially elliptical in cross section, and said holding portions being arranged to direct the fiow of fluid through said Chamber between said flow passage and the ports of said valve unit.

8. In a compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a piston, a cylinder head, a valve mechanism positioned within said head for controlling fiuid flow with respect to said cylinder and embodying a valve element, a holding member having spaced apart holding portions for holding said lvalve mechanism 'in place, one of said holding portions being intermediate others thereof, and valve unseating means to effect unloading of the compressor including a plate having rodlike elements engageable with said valve element to unseat the latter, said intermediate one of said lspaced holding portions having thereon means for guiding certain of said rodlike elements and the others of said rodlike elements being guided by an element of said valve mechanism independently of said holding member, and a fiuid actuated piston engaging said plate for moving said rodlike elements into valve unseating position.

9. In a compressor, in Combination, a cylinder containing a piston, a cylinder head having a Chamber, a fluid connection communicating with said Chamber and through which fiuid flows relative to said Chamber, a valve mechanism for controlling fiuid flow between said cylinder and said Chamber, a clamping member arranged in said Chamber and having spaced apart plate portions arranged in substantial parallelism and including a diametric portion and portions at opposite sides of said diametric portion and spaced from ateaaa the latter by nearly the radius of said valve mech'anism, all of said portions extending in the direction of fiuid flow with respect to said fiuid connection for directing the flow of fluid through said chamber, said plate portions engaging said valve mechanism for holding the latter in place, and means engageable With said clamping member for holding said plate portions firmly in Clamping' engagement with said valve mechanism.

10. In a compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a reciprocatory piston, a cylinder head having an intake Chamber' and a discharg'e chamber disposed respectively wholly at opposite sides of a plane extending chordally of said cylinder, pass'age means for conducting fiuid to said intake Chamber and from said discharge Chamber, means for controlling the fiow of fluid through said Chambers including inlet and discharge valve mechanisms associated respectively With said intake and discharge ch'ambers, frame members having spaced 'apart plate portions, arrang'ed in substantial parallelism and disposed generally edgewise to said passage means, extending in the direction of fluid fiow for directing the flow of fiuid through said chambers, said plate portions engageable With said valve -mechanisms at Widely spaced points for holding the latter in place, and means engageable With said frame members for holding said plate portions rmly in engag'ement With said Valve mechanisms.

ll. In a coinpressor, in combination, a valve cage traversed by coaxially arranged passages, valves arranged opposite said passages, one controlling the flow through each of the same, a fiowdirecting element extending radially With respect to the valve Cage, and means for unseating said valves to effect unloading of the compressor including a member having' projecting therefrom a plurality of groups of elements adapted to extend through said passages to unseat said Valves, each of said groups of elements including a valveunseating element individual to each valve, and said fioW-directing element providing guiding means for the elements of one of said groups only, for guiding the latter elements into contact with said valves and cooperating in maintaining each valVe-unseating element of said other groups in a position to contact one of said valves.

12. In a compressor, in combination, a cylinder containing a reciprocatory piston, a cylinder head having an inta'ke Chamber and a discharg'e chamber, said Chambers disposed respectively wholly at opposite sides of a plane extending chordally of said cylinder, passage means for conducting fiuid to said intake chamber and from said dis- Charge Chamber, an inlet valve mechanism associated With said intake chamber and a discharge valve mechanism associated With said discharge Chamber, said cylinder head providing seats for supporting said valve mechanisms, and means engageable With the edges of said valve mechanisms for holding said valve mechanisms on said seats including frame members, one associated With each of said valve mechanisms and each having Contact With the one of said valve mechanisms With which it is associated including contacts at diametrically op'posite points and contacts at other points diametrically opposite each other and at least Substantially midway between said first mentioned contacts, said frame members each having' generally parallel portions one providing said rst mentioned Contacts With the valve mechanism with which it is associated, and others each providing one of said second mentioned contaots, said plate portions arranged substantially edgewise with respect to said passage means to mininiize interference with fiow, and means for holding said frame members With the plate portions thereof pressed against said valve mechanisms.

RALPl-I E. LMBERTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 534,813 Christensen Feb. 26, 1895 1,698,440 Jones Jan. 8, 1929 2,155,236 Newell Apr. 18, 1939 2,155,257 Crittenden Apr. 18, 1939 2,161,828 Lamherton June 13, 1939 2241,195 Gehres May 6, 1941 2250,446 CoWles July 29, 1941 2334,633 Lamberton Nov. 16, 1943 

